Lincolnshire schools outstrip national increase in GCSE results

Lincolnshire’s GCSE results for 2015 have shown a dramatic rise in performance, with a higher percentage of pupils achieving 5A*-C including English and Maths.

They rose by 1.3% from 54.8 to 56.1%, outstripping by more than three times the national increase of only 0.4%. Lincolnshire already does significantly better than the East Midlands average of 54.2%.

These results follow a massive shift in 2014 in the way GCSEs operated, when most areas saw a reduction in the percentage of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs including English and Maths. Lincolnshire was no exception.

Lincolnshire’s grammar schools continued to perform magnificently in 2015. In 14 of the county’s grammar schools, at least 90% of pupils achieved 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths.

However, this measure does not give a true reflection of the achievements of many of the county’s secondary modern schools . When the more able students in an area choose go to a grammar school, it is not reasonable to expect the non-selective schools to do as well as the grammars in terms of the proportion of pupils achieving the highest grades.

That’s why the new Progress 8 measure established by the government, is so important. It will allow our non-selective schools to show how much progress their pupils make across eight subjects.

Some schools have elected to be measured by Progress 8 this year but all schools will be measured by it next year.

The County Council is confident that several schools that might appear to underperform by the old measure will be seen to be doing well when the new Progress 8 measure is introduced for all schools and academies later in 2016.

Director of Children’s services, Debbie Barnes, said: “Most of our schools are doing really well but we are not complacent, and there are some significant challenges to overcome.

“The progress that our young people make in English is improving but we still need to do better.

“Progress in Maths is an issue that we aim to address by supporting the recruitment of more really good maths teachers. “

“It is excellent to see our schools and academies coming together to tackle these challenges together: learning from each other and from best practice elsewhere.”

Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell, executive councillor of Children’s Services said: “It’s wonderful to see so many young people realising their potential in our schools. Pupils, parents, carers and teachers all deserve our congratulations.